


Pull Of Personality

by DarchangelSkye



Category: Canadian Idol RPF, Canadian Music RPF, Music RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Arc Words, M/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, Pre-Relationship, Wordcount: 500-1.000, Written in 2008
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-08
Updated: 2010-08-08
Packaged: 2017-10-11 00:16:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/106129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarchangelSkye/pseuds/DarchangelSkye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And he was doing what he could to keep his good fortune.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pull Of Personality

Gary knew he came off as arrogant. It was a defense mechanism he developed early. Happens when you _know_ you're meant for a lot more than what you're getting. Happens when you're trapped in a small town and watch with fear and desperation as people waste away under the pallor of mundanity, and you're determined not to let it happen to you. Happens when you get decent grades but being smart is looked at with suspicions. Happens when your life is music and most everyone around you is all sports-sports-sports.

It took a lot of conviction and a little luck to escape a dreary fate. And he did. And he was doing what he could to keep his good fortune.

Gary looked at the other singers with a kind of envy, that _she'd_ always lived in the big city or _he_ had traveled the world. His teenage thrills were limited to playing in several bands (you never find success with your first group right out the gate, it's the cardinal law of rock'n'roll) and teasing the girls from Rossland Secondary (inter-school rivalries had no rules, none that he cared about anyway). But here, surrounded by fellow musicians, people who _knew_ about art and sacrifice, he realized he was home. Maybe being surrounded by such personalities would mellow him out a bit. It'd be a good bonus.

Not that he'd ever expected Drew. Drew goddamn Wright.

Looked like he belonged in an art school with his neatly tailored shirts and moody, expressive eyes, even if appearances were deceiving. Not as shy as offstage-Mookie, but sure saving his voice for when he needed it most.

In fact, Drew had hardly spoken two words to him outside of a hello until they were all waiting to see who made the Top 24. Tensions were high for everyone in the cluster of seats. Gary had felt a gentle nudge on his elbow and turned to see Drew leaning. It was no big deal, guys hugging other guys or girls leaning on other girls didn't seem to carry the stigma it did back home. People needed support wherever they could get it.

As if Drew was reading his mind, he opened his eyes, a deep, unmistakable blue from any distance.

"We'll be fine," he said quietly.

Gary smiled and half-nodded, "Thanks, man," with no other words until all fates were learned.

Not to under-or-over-estimate anyone's talent, but it still surprised him to this day how right Drew had been.

Right before the producers rounded up everyone for the thou-shalt-do-this-thou-shalt-not-do-that-and-by-the-way-congratulations speech, he'd corralled Drew into a corner of their own. (Even close up, those eyes were unnaturally blue.)

"How the hell'd'ya know?"

"Know what?" he asked innocently and swept away a strand of shaggy art school hair.

"That we'd both make it. I'd take it as one hell of a compliment myself, but you?" He tapped the other man's forehead, a gesture that (also to this day) elicited a boy-next-door smile. "Just what's going on in there?"

It didn't look like Drew would answer for a minute as he downcast his eyes and shrugged. But his reply was even more puzzling.

"I figured they'd need us around. It's the same with us."

The young man raised an eyebrow. If this was supposed to be flirting or something, it was the quirkiest thing he'd heard, and that was saying a lot.

"We know what we're like, how we're gonna affect each other. I'll keep you pure, and you...you'll drag me to the depths, burn the sickness from my eyes."

Before Gary could even _wonder_ what that meant (he'd figure it out later than sooner), Drew gently touched his mouth and left to rejoin the other singers.

Gary prided himself on not being left speechless or dumbstruck often. But this? Was something else. Was it on purpose, or did Drew have no idea of his verbal pull?

Drew goddamn Wright, someone no one would expect to even subtly fascinate them, even with a voice like a clear summer day (as opposed to Gary's lightning on gravel).

*

With the weeks progressing, numbers dwindling, and groups sticking closer together, Gary would realize what the other man was talking about. Everyone influenced everyone else in one manner or another, and the two were no exception. What else could inspire Drew to let his voice's inner roughness emerge to contrast his preppy appearance, or Gary to relax within the group dynamics and let a little soft side show?

Nobody's personality changed completely, or even overnight, but like the better things in life, it's in the little details. Gary was still a rock star with laugh-inducing antics, Drew was still a nice and quiet guy. But it was something in the air, or the music, or their determination to be the best they could, to draw them together from their different worlds. After a while, it was just too right to question.

And they're doing what they can to keep their good fortune.


End file.
